The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-09-10
GOLDEN PRECEPTS.
EXPLANATORY NOTES BY REV. r..
S. M'AHTtlUR, D. D.

| Third Quarter FOR sunday, scps' II.
Text of tho Lesson, Matt. vi, liz.
| Golden Text, F:att. vii, IL.
V. /. Judge not-This prohibition is
AGAINST rash, harsh and censoriouS judgment.
Judicial and official Judgments are not pro-
Ihbitod; neither is the formation and express
sion of opinion prohibited. That we DO not
Judged. The Judgment warned against Is tho
| Judgment Of God. He who chorishss an un-
kind spirit against his nsighbor makes him
self liable to tho severe Judgment Of God
Luke vi, 81: John viii, Z; Romans, xiv, 10,
l3). The impersonal form, however, leaves
TO each of US to decide who tho judge is.
This make. the Judgment al the moro sol
emn 1t is equally certain that those who
indulge in harsh Judgments will, by the or
!dinary laws Of life, ba the victims Of harsh
judgments.
| We. With what Judgment, etc.-This is on
amplihcation Of the thought already OK
pressed Some have supposed that this part
of the discourse was suggested by tho presence
and attitude of some censorious PhariSees,
one of whom our Lord addresses in the follow
ing verse.
Y. 3. Why beholdest thou the, etc.-Our
Lord now adopts the direct and Personal
form of address Those who possess tho spirit
of harsh criticism are suro to censur8 those
who are less open TO censure than themselves.
This truth Christ now makes plain Tho
lmote-This is d minute particle OF wood. 1t
may stand for small sticks or twigs with
which birds build their nests. HGro IT stands
for a small fault. But the beam, on tho con-
trary, is joist, raftar. Hare it refor. to
gross fault The language is emblonatic and
|Eyperboical AS i, u beam TO mote, so Is
your fault. q critic, to tho fault of him whom
YOU horshly consure Considerest not.-A
stronger word than behodeSt. Instead Of
gazing intsntly at the mote in our brothers
Ieve-the word mote is used ~ express differ
encc as 80 size, but not Of matarial-wc should
attentively scrutiniza the huge beam which Is
in our own This exaggerated form Of ex
preston presents in most forceful way the
treat difference between our brothers fault
and or own. Brother. Used us among
Christians
V. 5. Thou hypocrite direct and per-
Isonal form Of address is still maintained.
One who acts part, who assumes character
not his own, who pretends to DO rigid moral
ist while hs il great sinner. First cast
| This il the true course to pursue. Subject
thysclf to tho closest scrutiny and oxamina-
ton. Correct thine own faults; then thino
eye will be clear to 500 at its proper dinlen-
sions tho fault OF thy brother. This Is sound
common sense.
! V. T. Hero thalc i. u turn in tho thought,
showing that we sra TO judge wisLiA propar
limits. There may 10 Iaxity in judging on
Imoral question. wh.cA is 40 csi2ui@Glo as I'M
due severity. We may withhold our CON
domination and lLar.1y Incur guilt Wo arc
not TO treat bad aud good rlan alike. Dogs,
SWING. Tho do. anon. tho jaws wa. un
cean The Eanio became L ts!ll OF rCproach
and utter contempt. Dogs wore ths scayouaers
of tho cities. TLay prowiad abou: for food;
thsy ran wild, had no owners, lived on roft.so,
aud had no attachment to any one; thsy were
ravenou. and abomnabls Swine were also
lunclean. They have no desire higher than to
fill themselves. Tho TORN became tho synonym
Of all that was degraded aud degrading,
Dogs end swine well represent tho coarse aud
brutal foos OF purity and religion. Holy
|, pearls.-Whasoy6r was dedicated To
Gods service was regarded Us holy: whatever
had been offered on the altar. This wouLi
include the shewbread and all feshy sacrifices.
The pearl has been always held in high
esteem In modern and ancient times 1t oc-
cupies prominent place among tho orno-
meats of kings and palaces We may not
accept any Of the traditions Of it, heavenly
origin, and yet may cling to its Inherent
beauty and market value. TO give tAa offers
and promises Of the GOSPEL to coarse, sensual,
cautious, atLestc men is as il one should cast
that which is holy to dogs, and pearls to
swine Tho tendcrcst feelings Of Christian
experience are not TO DO spoken Of in mixed
society, neither aro tho corrections to mems
faults 70 be given without discretion.
W. Ask, seek, knock.-Wo need wisdom
in dealing with boys and girls and man and
women. Tor that wisdom 20 must pray
We need wisdom so that We may not hayo
undue care and anxiety for food and raiment;
hence the exhor.ation to pray. 70 be critical
and vet charitable is hard matter; hence
the duty OF prayer. We have here u three
fold command. IL presents the duty of
prayer under different aspects, reaching a
climax. The initial letters OF zach word give
us the word ask Ask-Ie, mako known
your desire to God Seek is u step IL advance.
This is to earnestly implore God. Knock
This is TO continue asking and seeking
V. s. In this verse the promises Of the pre-
ceding verses are repeated. They are also
made present reality. He that asketh re-
ceiveth The tense is present. he receives
bere and now. Snail beopeued. -spIae man
rscripts make this also = present. teuss, w